Part II:
“In the chapter on “The Image and the Likeness”, we have portrayed the high plane designed by the Divine Purpose for the people at the closing cycle of the Christian era. Many after reading this work will say in themselves: This is too far beyond me. I can never attain it. Then why was it written? For the same reason that God caused to be written in the very beginning of our Bible, the account of the garden of Eden where man walked and talked with God as with a friend. It is always necessary that there be an object and an ultimate set before the mind of man to strive for, and when the object is well defined, then there may be also well-defined methods for attaining that object. Even though that object be very high, yet who can limit the power of the human mind, much less, who can limit the power of God to lead and to help man to high attainments?
It will be seen in the Everlasting Covenant – the Ten Commandments – that God pledges his name to be our power, and if we have God’s power to help us, is there anything impossible to us? Certainly not. The only thing that will hinder any one from attaining this ultimate is lack of faith in God. But you may ask: Who can have that perfect faith in God? As these apparent obstacles rise up before you, an absolute criterion to enable you to judge whether or not you can attain is required. There is such a criterion, and it is this:
After reading these thoughts, if you have an earnest desire to attain this ultimate, then by Divine Authority we say that you can attain it, but if you have not this desire, then you do not belong to the first ripe fruit of the earth, for the words of our Great Master are, “He that will, let him take the water of life freely.” If we look at these words from the standpoint of human experience, we shall say, then everybody can attain. But this is not so. It is only those who will. Who are those who are able to will? Jesus answered this question by saying, “For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath.” That there is an interior meaning to these words is evident on the face; for how can that be taken away from a man which he has not? The interior meaning or, if you please, the law of psychology governing here is this:
No man can have the will to do that which is not in him to do. In other words, man is possessed of a physical nature and of a spiritual nature. The ripening of the human ego, called the “ripe fruit”, means the maturing of the spiritual ego to where it is able to take control of the body and to cause the body to obey the will of this spiritual ego. Many there are who, when these thoughts are brought before them, will find within them an active desire to attain the ultimate, but they will also find another desire stronger than their desire for this attainment, which will so fully overwhelm their desire for this attainment that their desire will not amount to a decision in favor of a higher life, but on the contrary, the decision will be to continue living in the old channels and relations.
This is to say, when these divine truths are brought to the consciousness of the individual – “he that hath” developed the spiritual qualities to where they have gained the predominance, the ascendency – will have the will to do and to decide that he will live this life and will strive to attain this high ultimate. On the other hand, there will be those who will say: It would be very nice to attain it, but we are of the earth, and we have too many interests to leave them.
Thus, they will not have enough of the spiritual qualities to cause them to will, to make the effort to attain. For it must be borne in mind that will, is that function of the mind that executes the decisions after all has been weighed and balanced. Then the office of the will is executive – doing and accomplishing but guided by the intellect. Therefore, it is plain that to will is to be practical. It means not merely to believe or to desire, but to do something.
Thus we understand the parable of our Lord, “Whosoever hath (enough of spirit to control his actions), to him shall be given, and he shall have abundant: but whosoever hath not (enough to cause him to decide in favor of the spiritual life), from him shall be taken away even that which he hath”, namely, all spiritual desire and spiritual consciousness. Therefore, this fact is presented to you: That whoever desires to attain and can make the decision to do the very best he knows and leave the rest with God, can attain and will attain – provided that decision is not afterward reversed.”
Hiram Butler
The Mark Of God: Understanding Your "I AM Presence" 